budrichard

Obviously they are missing some of the ambiance of 'Cuban Cuisine'. One of the most decadent practices is smoking a good cigar and up until about 12 years ago before the 'Cigar Boom', Cubans were the best. -Dick

A recipe is not the important factor in cooking wild pheasant. What is important is realizing that the bird has little or no fat. Contrary to chicken even though there are physical similarities, if you pan fry or oven roast, the important thing is to cook until the breast still has some pink in it. If you have a very old rooster as evidenced by the spurs or want a long cooking time, braising for at least 3 hours in some medium is the only way to go and yield a somewhat tender bird. In any event it won't be chicken but if properly handled and either of the above methods are used, it will be good. -Dick

Can you smoke cigars? -Dick

The lifting bowl will keep the attachments in registration with the bowl forever and the 5 qt capacity is very useful. I have a 5 qt in the 'Machine Shop' finish with grinder and other attachments and the thing is so 'bullet proof' and will handle 7 cups of flour. I don't think that there is a 'bad' Kitchenaid mixer though. -Dick

Echezeaux: I agree compleltely with your analysis of the trade. If you look at the 'Fanzines' regardles of the particular market the magazine is aimed at, you never read a review where a product is simply bad. If there are dollars involved, you can bet someone is sitting up nights thinking how to obtain those dollars(Mutual funds!). A publication like the Wine Spectator can sell a LOT of wine. In EVERY wine shop you now see each indiviudal wine with it's ratings from the various pundits. I certainly do not have any information about any money changing hands for ratings but it does not have to be money per se. I know some corporations and some news media have 'Ethics Codes' and that helps somewhat. I am not aware that any of the wine publications or 'Fanzines' have such standards. BTW as a data point, one of the wines that I purchased without knowing it was on a previous Wine Spectator 'Top 100 List' was judged by myself to be very nice but certainly not worthy of inclusion on such a list. I am certain if I told people who were about to drink that wine that it was on the list, it's profile would increase. -Dick

I assume that you don't have the loin but something like a shoulder. For loin or a steak, rare and hot is the answer. As venison cools, it's flavor changes. For your roast, I would certainly prepare a wine or soy or whatever marinade with oinions/garlic/aromatics, whole pepper corns, bay leaves, juniper berries and whatever flavors/aromas you like. Moist cooking is needed and you have to reach a middle ground between cooked but tough and over cooked like mush in a crockpot. Use the cooking liquid to reduce and add Madera or something for a sauce with a thickening agent. Good luck! -Dick

Harcover! Compare original volumes of Pepin to the soft cover reprints like La Method and La Technique. -Dick

Domaine Chandon sparkler to start off during arrivals with home smoked sturgeon. 1964 Chambertin with the 'Bird'. All tannin was gone, lovely bouquet, very smooth. Not decanted but was held in a horizontal server for a week prior to opening so we did not have to decant. 1969 Nierstiener Rebach TBA, starting to maderize but the sweetness was still there. You can only drink a small glass. One bottle left from original case.-Dick

Turkey, fresh butchered last Monday, rubbed with olive oil, salt, pepper and dry herbs. 22# stuffed, foil tented into convection Viking oven at 425-375, 4.5 hours later, perfect, browned crisp crackling skin. moist dark and white meat. Secrets are a fresh fat turkey, olive oil and convection oven, foil tenting. No moving or peaking at the bird. It works for me!-Dick

Chicago area: I used to buy dry goods from Patel's and others on Devon St but after two outbreaks of bugs, I now use Penzys' exclusivley for spices and other sources for Basmati Rice and the various flours and legumes. No problems since. Argyle St for Vietnamese items but you have to watch the freshness of the canned goods and fresh vegetables and fish. Hint, anything with dust on it, don't purchase. In Glenview there is the Hyundi Supermarket which is a good source for Korean staples and fresh veggies. The fish has all been frozen and just doesn't look good. Have had success with the thin cut beef ribs. Of course Mitsua for Japanese but not cheap. The Fish guy is the retail outlet of a wholesale company and I am covinced that they sell at retail what they cannot market to the restaurants. With the demise of the Chicago Fish Company, I don't have a good source in the area. -Dick

'Commander's' shows that the 'Chef' does not always make the restaurant and in some cases may be deliterious to good dining. 'Commanders' has always been our favorite NO restaurant evenn after Paul and then Emeril left, we continued to go. The upstairs 'Garden Room' is quite nice. BTW the nicest place to stay is Windsor Court. -Dick

Have you noticed the depressed swordfish prices? -Dick

Our local library has the 'Spectator' so I scan every issue but the prediliction for giving everything numbers turned me off the rating systems many years ago. But you can be sure that a good rating or inclusion in the top 100 will sell wine! -Dick

Mark, you are right on! -Dick

JC, they are different blades with the Shiraki being right hand grind and i only use to get square cuts for sushi/sahimi whereas the dozier 9" is a flat grind which i use for carving meat but qualitatevly speaking both would be on a par. Resistance with both knives is so much less than other blades that you have adjust your technique. In direct comparison, the Shiraki is about the same as a Japanese commercial blade that I have. The Shiraki just looks nicer and is made by an individual. The Dozier is D2. It is only in axes that I know bob uses a different steel. I have many of his knives and they are all very good. bob is one of the great knifemakers. -Dick

Peugeot the best! -Dick

Chad, bob will make you anything that he agrees will function. He made a 9" carving knife for me with a flat grind. Yes, it is more difficult to sharpen and it does devlop a patina but when tough chores such as trimming artichokes arise, i reach for a Dozier! Call Linda and discuss what you want. He also makes axes of whic I have one but of a different steel. -Dick

The Wustof 'Chinese Chef's knife' that I have is 2mm wide and is specifically marked 'Do not use on bones'. It is very versatile and sharp. Wustof cleavers come in 3.5, 4 and 5 mm thickness. The 24cm long, 5mm wide Wustof cleaver I have will take your arm off. -Dick

Fifi, I can't quote the reg but wherever you are in the US and you purchase oysters and clams from government allowed waters, a tag listing where and when the bivalve was harvested should be kept with the bivalves and shown to the customer upon demand. In most grocery stores you will find a couple of weeks have elapsed from harvest to marketing. The oysters from Browne typically have a day or two when they reach you by FedEx. -Dick

Just looked at the Cargill site http://www.sterlingsilvermeats.com/excel/index.jsp and they only sell 'Pre-cooked' Rib Roasts. -Dick

Probably the most important thing about cooking is to cook for a specified internal temperature then resting for 20 minutes to an hour depending on the size of your rib roast. We cook for an internal temp of about 100f to 110F and then let a whole rib roast stand for about 1 hour covered with foil or in a warm oven. The well done or medium people get the ends, the rare people the center. -Dick

A 'Chinese Cleaver' is really different than a 'Cleaver'. The edge on the 'Chinese Cleaver' is much thinner than a regular 'Cleaver' and really should not be used for cleaving. I have both Wustof 'Chinese Cook's Knife' and a heavy Wustof 'Cleaver'. The Wustof Chinese Cook's Knife is very versitile and can substitue for a number of blade shapes. Wustof 'cleavers' come in different sizes and edged thickneses and are meant for actual cleaving through bone or gristle. -Dick

"I do however disagree about knives having to feel the same. A paring blade feels totally different from a Santoku or Chef's knife no matter that they're even from the same line of the same make. As for safety, I've yet todate been cut by my own kitchen knives however, i have had multitudes of paper cuts and cuts from just about everything else." It was not the blade shape that I was indicating but the handle feel and the way the blade cuts. The ease of cutting can be directly related to the percieved effort to cut . Going from a custom blade made from esoteric really hard steel to a high carbon steel is difficult. I like to have a uniform feel in the kitchen because I use many knives in the course of food prep. I have about 20 Wustof blades ranging from small pairing to a 13" 'BoneSplitter'. Sooner or later you will be cut. The severity will depend on the force employed at the time and the blade steel. The sharpest blades I have are from Bob Dozier. It took less than 24 hours for the first knife I obtained from bob to 'bite' me. As Bob says "If they bite you, they generally go all the way to the bone" which it almost did. http://www.dozierknives.com I don't believe that Bob lists any kitchen blades on his web site but will make them to order. Call and talk to Linda(wife). One last thing about knife safety. with the knives of today, the practise of food prep while drinking can lead to accidents. -Dick

Great report! The only time I purchased a bottle of Le Montrachet, Domaine Baron Thenard was when I found two bottles at a Foremost liquor store in Antioch Illinois under priced. One had a large ullage and I left it. The other I took and it was one of the best(1967 I think) whites we have ever had. Truly a stunning wine. I understand how you felt at the lintel completely. -Dick

Used in stir fries as an alternative or adjunct to soy. Use to make marinades. By itself very gray and pungent but after heating adds charachter. Kind of like Japanese XO sauce which adds a very pungent flavor. Try crab with hot bean oil also. When in the Asian markets i pick up a whole range of these pastes and oils. Some are very good and some.....Be careful to try and ascertain freshness as some of the markets keep this stuff forever. -Dick